Six Connecticut women have been arrested for allegedly attacking a karaoke
singer. We take a look at some of the most terrifying assaults on amateur
bar-room crooners.

There have been many attacks on karaoke singers over the last few years, suggesting that the office-party pastime is more dangerous than many assume. Here are some of the worst.

• A 24-year-old Wisconsin man with the possibly apposite name of Kyle Drinkwine was sentenced to 60 days in jail after attacking two men over their performance of one of his favourite heavy metal songs in November last year.

He throttled James Mischler, 28, and his friend Cyrus Kozub, after heckling them as they sang “Holy Diver”, the title track on the 1983 album by former Black Sabbath lead singer Ronnie James Dio’s band Dio.

Caught by police after a short chase, Drinkwine was arrested and charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

Mr Mischler, who admitted in an interview to insulting Drinkwine’s jewellery after being heckled, said he was worried about reports saying his performance had been less than heartfelt. He said: "I genuinely love Ronnie James Dio."

Related Articles

• Stadium rockers Coldplay inspire many different emotions in fans and detractors, but this August 2007 incident may be the only recorded occasion of Coldplay-related violence.

A Seattle, Washington, man’s performance of Chris Martin and co’s breakthrough single Yellow allegedly triggered an attack by a 21-year-old woman.

Lindsay Lawrence, described by a witness as a “little hippie girl”, is said to have assaulted the unnamed victim after reportedly saying: "Oh, no, not that song. I can't stand that song."

She allegedly went on to inform the singer that his "singing sucked" and that the song "f---ing sucked," before punching him twice in the face.

According to a witness in her rage it took three people to hold her down, and she is said to have headbutted a police officer several times before being handcuffed.

• An unnamed British tourist in Bulgaria is said to have become enraged at a local duo’s “tuneless” version of We Are The Champions by Queen.

The man, 40, attacked the pair, and started smashing up the bar around him.

His karaoke-induced rage was so powerful that local police required backup to restrain him.

• A 58-year-old Thai man apparently became so enraged by karaoke parties at a local house that he broke in and shot eight people dead.

He said: “I warned these people about their noisy karaoke parties. I said if they carried on I would shoot them.”

It is noted that a favourite song at the parties was John Denver’s Country Roads. A neighbour said that the song was chosen “over and over again”.

• Staying in south-east Asia, more than one shooting incident has taken place in Cambodian karaoke bars over renditions of Frank Sinatra’s My Way. The country’s premier is said to have tried to shut down the country’s karaoke bars after an outbreak of violence.

• My Way seems to be a dangerous choice of song in some parts of the world. A singer in a bar in San Mateo in the Philippines was reportedly shot dead for performing it off-key.

The Philippine Star said that Romy Baligula, 29, was mid-way through the song when another man, Robilito Ortega, told him he was out of tune.

Mr Baligula ignored the heckle, so Mr Ortega allegedly pulled out a .38 calibre pistol and shot the singer in the chest, killing him instantly.

Also in the Philippines, a singer apparently shot two members of the audience, killing one, after they jeered his performance of the song. And a Sinatra-loving crowd is said to have beaten a singer to death over a substandard performance.

So many fights have broken out in Manila over My Way that the tune has been taken off the machines at many karaoke bars to prevent further outbreaks.